Hotels.com sees new millennial #TravelBrag trend

Hotels.com sees new millennial #TravelBrag trend

“BRAGTAG” overtakes the humble HASHTAG as travel becomes the new social currency for millennials

Whether it’s the deluxe suite, the hip hotel or the #foodporn, the #TravelBrag has become an essential part of any trip

DALLAS, Dec. 7, 2017 — New research from Hotels.com® global Mobile Travel Tracker*, has discovered a new millennial trend, of ‘travel bragging’ on social media to build kudos amongst their friends, and even faux friends on social. Trading in their #TravelBrag for ‘likes’, 30% admit they spend over four hours a day on their mobiles whilst traveling, often more glued to the small screen than the beach scene… #sorrynotsorry.

When it comes to what social savvy travelers are bragging about on their trips, food snaps (44%) is up there. Travel braggers show off their #foodporn to those stuck at home with their avocado toast, posting weird and wonderful dishes from across the globe. Fried spider anyone?

Being a generation of filter-loving, selfie-stick addicts, two out of three American (66%) 18-29-year-olds admit they would rather upload a selfie than a picture with their loved ones (62%) on holiday #savage. Not only that, 60% of US young travelers admitted to uploading pictures, checking in at cool locations (39%) and tracking the amount of interaction on their posts (32%) for bragging purposes while on vacation.

The new global research has also proven the long-debated theory that romance really is dead, with 14% admitting they would rather travel with their smartphone than their partner. Travelers even get more anxious when their phone runs out of battery (15%) than if they argue with their partner on a trip (8%).

The research, commissioned by Hotels.com identifies new trends in how mobile technology is used during travel, as it launches its second annual Mobile Travel Tracker Report.

“At Hotels.com we know that 28% of people wouldn’t enjoy their holiday without their smartphone in their hand – how could they possibly capture the best selfie or show off to their friends at home without it! Not only that, we also know that getting the perfect picture plays an even bigger role with 14% of travelers admitting they would pose anywhere for that flawless selfie, often putting selfies ahead of safety”, said Daniel Craig, VP of Mobile at Hotels.com brand.

“With a third of travelers refusing to book a hotel that doesn’t offer free Wi-Fi, there is a clear demand for travelers to be connected at all times. At Hotels.com, we have so many great places to stay, all bookable at the click of a button on our mobile app, that we’re confident selfie-lovers will have plenty of opportunities to snap the ideal #nofilter photo for Instagram, perfect to #TravelBrag with.”

Start your next adventure by downloading the Hotels.com mobile app to choose from hundreds of thousands of places to #TravelBrag around the world.

Notes to Editors

*Mobile Travel Tracker research conducted by One Poll in November 2017. Data based on 9,000 respondents across 30 countries.

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